Click farms and install farms are fraudulent operations where large groups of low-paid workers or automated systems generate fake clicks or app installs to manipulate digital advertising metrics. These farms aim to deceive advertisers and ad networks into believing their ads are receiving genuine engagement, thereby skewing campaign performance data.

Click Farms: Workers or bots generate high volumes of clicks on ads, inflating click-through rates (CTR) and misleading advertisers about the effectiveness of their campaigns. These fake clicks do not lead to genuine user engagement or conversions, resulting in wasted ad spend.

Install Farms: Similarly, install farms generate fake app installs. Workers or bots download and install apps repeatedly, creating the illusion of high download numbers. This manipulates app store rankings and misleads advertisers about user acquisition success.

Both types of farms exploit the pay-per-click (PPC) and cost-per-install (CPI) advertising models, where advertisers pay based on the number of clicks or installs their ads receive. This fraudulent activity leads to significant financial losses for advertisers and distorts the digital advertising ecosystem.

To combat click and install farms, advertisers use advanced fraud detection tools, monitor traffic for unusual patterns, and employ stringent verification processes to ensure that clicks and installs come from legitimate users.

Learn more about Attribution Fraud in this article